


baby just say yes

by estrella30



Category: One Direction, Pop Music RPF
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-09
Updated: 2012-12-09
Packaged: 2017-11-20 17:32:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,692
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/587940
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/estrella30/pseuds/estrella30
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry flashes her his widest grin. “I’m Harry,” he says and holds his hand out again. This time she takes it and Harry notices her hand is smaller than his, her fingers long and thin, the edges of her fingertips just a little rough. Harry remembers that she plays guitar sometimes, that she writes a lot, and all of a sudden he wants to know everything he can about her, everything that she’ll let him know.</p>
            </blockquote>





	baby just say yes

**Author's Note:**

> this was supposed to be harry/taylor porn and wound up being no porn and all feelings bc that's just how I roll. I tried to keep the timeline of things I know they were definitely at as close as I could, but I apologize for any inaccuracies. I also choose to ignore the idea that they were together in secret at the KCA's bc I think it's dumb. 
> 
> thanks to littlemousling for the beta! any remaining mistakes are my own.

*

Harry can’t stop watching her dancing in the audience. 

The thing is, three years ago Harry was fifteen and worked in a bakery in Cheshire, and now he’s on stage singing at the Kids’ Choice Awards and bloody _Taylor Swift_ and _Selena Gomez_ are singing along to his band’s song, dancing and smiling and laughing in the audience. 

Harry keeps catching Taylor’s eye and she’s smiling at him a little, doing that thing that girls do where they watch you until you catch them doing it and then turn to their friend and pretend to be involved in some important conversation. Harry’s had it happen to him loads of times but definitely never with anyone as fit as Taylor Swift. Taylor bloody Swift! Her dress is white and strappy and her hair is pulled back from her face and neck. She catches Harry’s eye and her lips curve up again before her eyes slant away to the side. 

Harry is completely charmed. 

When they’re done performing he wanders around backstage with a dogged determination to find her and introduce himself. His ego’s not so inflated that he expects her to be standing around waiting to fall into his arms, but she was watching him, at least, and smiling at him, and Harry knows that has to mean something. 

He finds her around a quiet corner talking to Selena and Justin, who’s covered head to toe in slime. She looks up as he gets closer and smiles with just the edges of her mouth, a little bit cocky and knowing. Her arms are folded and when he approaches she stands at her full height and Harry realizes she’s taller than he is; not a lot but enough for him to notice. He flashes a grin at Selena and Justin and holds his hand out to Taylor. 

“Hi. I wanted to come find you and introduce myself,” he says smoothly. 

“I know who you are,” Taylor says lightly. She’s smiling though and Harry can’t stop staring. “You’re that guy, right?” she teases. “From that band?”

Harry laughs loud and bright then holds a hand up to his mouth to muffle the sound. “I am, yeah,” He says. Beside them Selena and Justin chuckle and they all exchange pleasantries, talking about the show and their performances and Justin’s sliming. After a few minutes Selena and Justin excuse themselves to go get changed and then it’s just Harry and Taylor left in the hall. She leans back against the wall, slouching against it slightly until she and Harry are eye level and raises a single eyebrow.

“So,” she says quietly. “An introduction, you said?” 

Harry flashes her his widest grin. “I’m Harry,” he says and holds his hand out again. This time she takes it and Harry notices her hand is smaller than his, her fingers long and thin, the edges of her fingertips just a little rough. Harry remembers that she plays guitar sometimes, that she writes a lot, and all of a sudden he wants to know everything he can about her, everything that she’ll let him know. 

“Taylor,” she says with a genuine smile. Her lips are bright red and her skin is so fair and Harry can picture what it would feel like to touch the silky fall of her hair. 

She tells him that they sounded great and he thanks her for singing and dancing along and then his mobile buzzes in his pocket. He checks it and it’s the guys looking for him: the car is ready to leave and they need him outside in two minutes or they’re leaving without him. 

“I’ve gotta go,” he says and rolls his eyes a bit. She makes a soft _hmm_ sound, and before he realizes what’s happening she’s got his phone in her hand and is tapping quickly against the screen. When she hands it back to him she winks a little and her fingers drag against his palm just the smallest amount. A shiver races up the back of Harry’s spine. 

“It was nice meeting you, Harry,” she tells him, and pushes away from the wall. She smiles at him and nods at the mobile in his hand. “You should text me sometime and say hello.”

Harry’s pretty sure he will.

*

Harry waits a few days but he does text her. 

They’re back in the UK for a bit before heading out for the rest of their US dates, and Harry knows this is a terrible time to try and start any kind of relationship, but that’s not what this is, he tells himself. Taylor is nice and funny and she’s like him, in a way. He thinks she’ll understand if he texts her and then can’t respond for three days because of interviews and appearances and concerts. He expects the same from her and most of their conversations when they get started talking go something like:

_been doing a bit of writing with the lads. how do you find so many words to rhyme with heartache?? Xxx_

_hahaha! Take a break! Give it a shake! Let’s go and bake a cake!_

_Ive never heard any of your songs talk about baking a cake : (_

_; )_

And then Harry will hear nothing from her for five days. 

It’s fun though, and it’s good. It’s easy to talk to someone who understands when all you can say is, _god I’m tired_. He likes talking to someone else who knows how important it is sometimes to sit and just _be_. Taylor gets that, and the more Harry talks to her the more he realizes he likes it; he likes having someone other than the lads who really understand what he’s going through. He likes having her to talk to and text with and know that wherever she is that sometimes she’s thinking about him, even a little bit.

He just – he really likes her a lot.

*

Harry goes to LA and One Direction win three VMA’s and they perform on stage and it’s one of the best nights of Harry’s life. He’d made sure to text Taylor and find out where he could meet her on the red carpet before the show, and when he did he was stunned by how lovely she looked. He thinks he probably stood there and gaped at her for a minute too long before she giggled and smacked him on the arm prompting him to lean in and kiss her hello.

Her hair is pulled back again and Harry can’t stop imagining what it would look like loose and hanging softly around her face instead. He’s almost desperate to touch it. She smells like flowers and spice and his belly clenches hard when she pulls away after he kisses her cheek. 

“Have dinner with me after the show,” he says. He feels reckless and a little wild, his heart beating too fast in his chest. He’s scared she’ll say no but petrified she’ll say yes. 

She pulls back and bites her lip and says ok.

Later, Harry is sat in the audience when she closes the show and he can’t stop watching the way she moves. She struts across the stage with more confidence than he’s ever had in his life. She’s got swagger and grace and sass. Her voice is bright and clear and she’s amazingly talented and gorgeous and driven and he wants her with every bone in his body. 

He wants to know her and have her and be with her and everything that comes with it. He’s going to ask her at dinner, he thinks. Ask her to date him, maybe see where it leads. Harry isn’t too sure this is the smartest thing in the world but he wants it too badly to think about the consequences. 

Naturally, that’s when she tells him she thinks it would be better if they just stayed friends. 

*

Harry never says anything to the lads because there’s never anything to tell, really. (Louis guesses a bit after the VMA’s so Harry tells him the basic facts: that they’re friends. Harry had thought they might be more but Taylor didn’t think that was the best idea. Louis listens and then pats Harry on the back. He tells him that maybe it’s for the best and even if Harry doesn’t agree he goes along with it.)

Taylor is a friend and Harry is happy with that. He loves that he gets to talk to her, he loves the input she has and the advice and opinions she gives him. She manages to suggest things to him without seeming pushy or condescending, and Harry listens to whatever she has to say because she’s smart and determined and has been doing this longer than he has and Harry wants to learn. 

He’s not entirely sure how she hooks up writing with Ed but Harry couldn’t be happier. He texts the both of them: _congrats to two of my favorites!!! Xxx_ and when Ed calls him later in the week to tell Harry how amazing and talented he thinks Taylor is, Harry feels a weird sense of pride when he tells Ed that he knows. 

*

Harry takes her out in London after she does Grimmy’s show. 

“She’s a fine one, that old Swifty,” Nick says, patting Harry on the shoulder. “Charming, really.”

“Yeah,” Harry says. He looks over to where Taylor’s grabbing her coat and purse. “She’s great.”

They go to a small pub Harry knows for lunch, and they eat huge burgers and chips and drink pints until they’re both laughing hysterically at anything that happens, whether it’s remotely funny or not. Harry loves how polished Taylor can be, but he likes this even better, he thinks. Watching her smiling and drinking a lager, her cheeks flushed pink and her laugh louder than it needs to be. 

“So you’re what, a radio DJ tomorrow?” she says. 

Harry grins stupidly. “Yep. Me and Nick are on in the morning, LADZ FM. Why, are you going to listen?”

Taylor shrugs and pretends to look bored. “I don’t know, maybe. I mean, if I have nothing better to do _I guess_.”

“Hey!” Harry grouses and tosses a handful of chips at her head. She bats them away and flings her pickle at his face just barely missing his forehead. Harry gapes and stares at her, blinking his eyes wide. “Did you just try and _pickle_ me, Swifty?”

“I did,” she says haughtily. She’s trying to sound superior but she’s slurring her words a little and Harry falls just a little bit deeper. “I’ll pickle you good one day,” she tells him. “You’ll see.”

Harry tries to remember that they’re friends – just friends – because he’s never wanted to kiss her more than he does in that moment.

*

Two days later he watches her charm and flirt with the entire audience at the Teen Awards when she sings Love Story and he thinks he wants to kiss her even more. 

*

Harry can hardly believe the travel schedule they’ve got for the next few weeks. Back and forth to America multiple times to perform first on the X Factor, then the Today Show, then the Ellen show, then back to the UK after. He’s tried to meet up with Taylor a few times but they’re both been busy; she’s got promoting to do for her own album and a video to shoot and it’s just – it’s hard sometimes to catch up. 

“So hey,” she says one day when they’re on the phone. Harry is packing his travel bag and trying to remember where he put his razor and spare toothbrush so when she asks him he misses the question for a second. 

“Uhm…” Harry wracks his brain but for the life of him he can’t remember the dates she just rattled off into his ear. “What was that?”

“Bored with me already, Styles?” she says and sighs. Harry mumbles an apology and Taylor laughs and says, “No, I was just saying I’m on the X Factor the week after you, right when you’re done with the Today show and stuff.”

And oh. _Oh_. 

“I mean, not that you have to come out here or anything,” she says quickly. “I know you’re going to be in New York and maybe want to head back home after you’re done or—“

“No, no, wait.” Harry thumbs his mobile on and flips through his calendar. “Actually I was thinking of meeting up with someone in LA to do some writing at some point. I could definitely do it then if you’re going to be around.”

“Only if you want,” Taylor says hurriedly. “I don’t want to take up some of your days off if you—“

“Taylor,” Harry says softly. He waits until she’s quiet and says, “I’d love to see you. Really.”

“Ok,” she says, and Harry can feel her smile through the phone. “Good. I’d love to see you again too.”

*

Harry meets up with Gary and they work on some soundtrack music, and then he heads over to the X Factor studio to watch Taylor rehearse for her performance the next night. He stands off to the side and pulls stupid faces while she’s trying to concentrate and then when she’s done he tosses her over his shoulder and runs around with her on the stage just because he feels like it. Just because she’s letting him and he can. 

After, they go out for burgers and Harry steals her pickle before she can try and throw it at him. When they’re done they sneak into the back entrance of her hotel to drink all the bottles of liquor from the minibar and curl up on the couch together to watch the cooking channel until Harry falls asleep with his head resting against her shoulder. 

*

“I think I want to date Taylor,” Harry says to the rest of the lads when they’re rehearsing at Madison Square Garden. Everyone stops and there’s silence for a second and then they all talk at once. 

“I thought you already were!” Niall says.

“I thought she just wanted to be friends,” Louis adds. 

“Taylor _Swift_?” Liam asks.

Zayn shrugs. “Sounds great, mate; I’m going to head out for a smoke.”

Harry has to laugh. He loves them all so much. Louis who he’s told everything to and Liam who has no clue what’s going on. Niall who assumed they’d been together for months and Zayn who just wants a fag. 

“We’ve not been, no,” Harry says. “But, I don’t know. I’m going to ask her to come to the party after the show on Monday.”

“You want to introduce her to your _mum_?” Liam asks, then whistles. “Serious stuff, Haz.”

“No, it’s not, it’s just that—“

“I think it’s great,” Louis says. He claps Harry on the shoulder and pinches his cheek. “Our little Hazza is growing up!”

“Piss off,” Harry grumbles. “She just wants to be friends anyway. I just thought, I don’t know. I thought it might be nice,” he says and shrugs. 

“Then I say do it,” Niall chimes in. “Taylor bloody Swift. Good God, Harry.” 

They all laugh and Harry figures everything will be all right.

*

He invites Taylor to the party and she says yes, she’d love to come. She has an awards show that night during the concert but she’ll meet him after for sure. She sounds excited enough about it that Harry takes a chance and asks her when she’s getting in and she fumbles around with her phone for a minute before she says, “Monday morning, I think. But I mean…” she trails off and then says, “I’m actually free Sunday, the day before, if you’re around.”

Harry thinks about what he’d had planned for the weekend. “I’m supposed to take Lux to the zoo in Central Park with Lou and Tom,” he says. Taylor starts to talk again but Harry speaks over her because this – he wants this, is the thing. “I’d love it if you came.”

Taylor is quiet for a second. “Are you sure?”

“I am, yeah.”

Harry bites his lip while Taylor doesn’t say anything at all. “Central Park is—“

“I know, it’s—” Harry huffs. He knows what being out together in Central Park means. It’s visible and in public and people will wonder and speculate and talk. There will be no way to avoid the rumors once they do it, but Harry – the thing is Harry _wants_ it. If it’s with Taylor he really does. 

“I’ll have security there, of course,” he rushes to tell her, “And you can bring whoever you need. I just.” He closes his eyes and thinks, _what the hell_. “I’d love it if you came.”

Taylor’s quiet for a moment, but then the laughs softly and Harry thinks that’s a good sign. At least he hopes it’s a good sign. “Well, all right then,” she finally says, and Harry can’t stop smiling. “I’ll see you Sunday.”

*

“Wow, Harry,” Lou says leaning in close to his ear when they’re all at the zoo. “She’s a sweetheart.”

Harry looks over to where Taylor is talking to Tom and making ridiculous faces at Lux, puffing her cheeks out and making her eyes bug out of her head. “She really is,” Harry says. 

“She fancies you like mad too, yeah?” Lou asks, and Harry shakes his head because he doesn’t know, not really. 

“I don’t think so, actually,” he says quietly. Lou rolls her eyes at him. “I mean, we talked about it a while ago and she said she didn’t want anything serious so we’re just really good friends.”

Lou is quiet for a second so Harry thinks that maybe that’s it, but then she’s smacking him hard across the back of the head and Harry is yelping and jumping away. 

“Hey!”

“Of course she bloody fancies you, you twat,” Lou says rolling her eyes. “Do you have eyes? She’s been watching you all day, playing with Lux, trying to get you to hold her hand. Are you really that stupid?”

Harry huffs. The thing is, Lou could be right; sometimes Harry thinks Taylor might fancy him as much as he fancies her, but the thing is they’re never done anything about it. She’s never said anything other than the time she said they should just stay friends so that’s all Harry knows. He’s not going to risk what he has now for something she’d told him she doesn’t want in the past; that’s not how Harry does things. 

She’s amazing though. Harry feels like he thinks that all the time but especially today meeting Lou and Tom and playing with Lux all day is perfect. Taylor’s got her own security with her and it’s an even bigger team than Harry has and maybe some people would have a problem with that, maybe some blokes wouldn’t like it, but Harry loves it. 

He loves it that she _gets_ it. He loves that her security could take his down in a heartbeat. He’s seen how hard it’s been for Dani and Eleanor being the girlfriends on the outside and not knowing what to expect, and he’s watched his mates struggle with trying to have a normal relationship with someone who has a totally different kind of life and it’s hard, is the thing. Sometimes it’s seems bloody impossible. 

But with Taylor, Harry doesn’t think it would be quite so hard. He thinks they might have a shot at it. He thinks it might be amazing, actually, and he wonders if she’s ever thought the same. 

“I’m telling you, Haz,” Lou says against his ear. Taylor looks up from where she’s playing with Lux and catches Harry’s eye and Harry smiles and something soft and warm bursts in his chest. “Ask her again one day; just see what she says.”

“Yeah, maybe,” Harry says quietly. Taylor grins at him and winks and Harry smiles even wider. “Maybe I will.”

*

The next night they sing karaoke with Niall and then they sing a song together, just the two of them. 

Harry has never felt lighter in his entire life. He’s just played Madison Square Garden, his mum and dad and stepdad were all here to see it. All the lads have their friends and families around and they’re throwing the best party Harry’s ever been to, and Taylor is here now too. She came after her show and she’s completely beautiful and stunning and hugging Harry and kissing his cheek the whole night telling him how amazing he is, and how great she heard he did at the show and just—.

Harry wants to feel like this forever. He wants to feel this happy and content and accomplished. He’s standing at the bar sipping a vodka cranberry when Taylor slides up and nestles under his arm, her hand curving tight over his hip. Harry grins down at her and rests his hand on her waist, the smooth satin of her dress slipping under his fingers. 

“So I was thinking,” she says, looking up at him from under her lashes. Her hair is loose around her shoulders and Harry gives up; he slides his hand around the back of her head and lets her hair wrap around his fingers like he’s wanted to do for months. 

“I wasn’t sure what you had planned for later but maybe you wanted to come back and stay with me?” she says. She’s trying for confident but Harry can sense her hesitance underneath. He can tell she’s not sure about him which is crazy; Harry’s never been more sure about anything in his life. 

“You mean _stay_ with you stay with you?” he asks. 

Taylor doesn’t answer right away. Instead she tilts her head up and catches his lips with hers. It’s just a soft, dry press of her mouth to his but Harry understands what it means and he tightens his fingers where they’re splayed across her waist and in the back of her hair. “If you want to, that is,” she says. 

Harry just smiles. “Yes. Definitely yes,” he tells her and then he thinks _finally_ as he leans down and kisses her again.

 

-end-


End file.
